Jain Journal 1966 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 44

84
JAIN JOURNAL
the sanctum as well as the porch was fully painted over, and a recent cleaning showed that a later layer had been imposed on an earlier one in the ardhamandapa, recalling a similar situation in the Brihadeeswara temple at Tanjore centuries later. It was a vital artistic tradition that chose Sittannavasal for its gallery.
The dates of the murals vary. Practically little has survived in the sanctum, which is believed to have been excavated in the seventh century by or under the auspices of, the first Mahendravarman. The porch, scholars believe, was added two centuries later by a Pandya, Srimara Srivallabha, and it is there that most of the survivals exist. But the difference in the dates, a matter of two hundred years, does not appear to have been very significant.
...Sittannavasal is in the grand Ajanta style. In fact some critics hold it to be superior. There is nothing here like the sublime Bodhisattva in the first cave at Ajanta.The artists of Sittannavasal enjoyed a much smaller scope, and there is no reason to believe that this Jaina settlement commanded the large resources of the Buddhist monks at Ajanta, which lay on the highway between Pratisthana and Ujjain and was not very far from the rich marts on the western sea-coast. They also aimed at smaller effects. But the point is they succeded in what they aimed at. That was due in part to their religious fervour and in part to their technical accomplishments....
--N. S. Ramaswami, 'Jain Hill, The Sunday Standard, May 8, 1966.
Strangely enough Manbhum is a district where there are Jaina antiquities in abundance lying exposed and neglected. The more one enquires, the more relics come to one's knowledge. The little known village Pabanpur in Barabhum Pargana was obviously an important Jaina centre in olden times. There are a number of ruined temples and broken antiquities. Some of these temples have exquisite carvings. On all sides of the temple there are damaged images of the Tirthankaras. Another small village, Par at a distance of four miles from Anara Railway Station, has also certain Jaina antiquities but there has not been any exploration of the area. Some of the antiquities of this area had been sent to Calcutta Museum and are preserved there. One of them is a 2 ft. high image of Santinatha in khargāsana. This is slightly damaged.